Center-bearing for railway-cars



-(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 1.

H. H. SESSIONS. GENTEE BEARING EOE EAILWAY GARS.

No. 605,522. Patented June 14,1898.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. H. SESSIONS. CENTER BEARING IOR RAILWAY GARS.

No. 605,522. PatenteaJune 14, 1898.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-'Sheet 3.

H. H. SESSIONS.'4 CENTER BEARING POR RAILWAY GARS.

Patented June 14;'1898.

Illllh Wwf (No Model.) 4 ShEetsf-Sheet 4. H. H. SESSIONS. CENTER BEARING EOE RAILWAY GARS.

Patented June 14, 1898.

, No. 605,522.A

minn- STATES 'Arnr einen,

HENRY II. SESSIONS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARD ooUPLER COMPANY, or NnwJERs'EY.

CENTER-BEARING FOR RAILVi/AYeCitRS SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,522, dated June 14, 1898.

l Application January 21,1898. Serial No.6v6'7,429. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. SESSIONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,'in the county of Cook and State of Illi- 5 nois, have invented certainv new and useful Improvements in Center-Bearings for Railway-Cars; and I do hereby `declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the aclo companying drawings, forming part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. Y

This invention relates to improvements in railway-car construction, and particularly to r 5 means for uniting the car-body and trucks, Jthe invention being more especially, though not exclusively, adapted for use in connection with passen ger-cars and rpassenger-cars of the vestibule type, the objects of the "inf zo vention being to secure a more iiexible connection between the trucks and car-body,

whereby in turning curves the axial lines of adjacent car-bodies will meet centrallyinstead of being shifted transversely with rela- 2 5 tion to each other, as in the priorconstructions, and at the same time to insure the steady and practically firm connection between the parts at all times.

Referring to the accompanyingdrawings,

` 3o Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the positions assumed by the abutting ends of two adjacent cars, as ordinarily,constructed,

in turning a curve. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the correct position of such bodies 3 5 with relation to each other and which itis the object of my invention to secure. Fig; 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a center-bearing as appliedto the truck-bolster, such parts being constructed in'accordance with my present invention. Figli is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 3 y with parts shown in section. Fig. 5 is a crosssectional view with parts shown in elevation, the structure depicted inthe Figs. 3, 4, and 4 5 5 being specially adapted to four-wheel trucks. Figs. 6, 7, `and 8 are views corresponding to Figs. 3, et, and 5 and showing the. construction adapted for six-wheel trucks.' Figs. 9 and 10 are elevations, one-half in section, corresponding to Figs. 3 and and showing the complete truck with the swiug-centers in place.

Like letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3, 4, and 5, 5 5` the letter A indicates aftruck-bolster, which in this instance is preferably of compound construction and `adapted to extend transversely across the trucks. It is composed, as shown, of two channel-irons da, arranged 6o one on either side, with a filling a of wood at each end, boltedvbetween the two channelirons, and an external plate, or filling for the channel-irons on each side, (lettered a2.) This truck-bolster is adapted to be supported on 65 springs S, Figs. 9 and l0, which springs are in turn mounted on a spring-plank T, carried `by the usual swing-hangers U. Such arrangement being well known in the art, Il have not deemed it necessary to illustrate the 7o same herein, save in connection with the fourwheel-truck construction.

The filling a' is cut away centrally of the truck-bolster, and the space thus leftis adapted for the reception of the center-bearing', 75 which center-bearin gis suspended upon links C, pivotally mounted in bearings D on the upper surface of the truck-bolster.V These links C are in practicei in the form of yokes, having `their center portions at c provided 8 0 with a at upper surface', whichcoperates with acorresponding'fiat surfaceat'the bottom of the center-bearingblock, the object of this being to insurea -quick return of the bearing-block to its central position after hav- 8 5 ing been swung laterally in either direction, for in such swinging movement the links or yokes C will be thrown into an inclined position and the contact between the center-bearing and yokes will be at one edge or the other 9o of each of the yokes. In other words, the center-bearing will be slightly raised with relation to the truck-bolster by such swinging movement, and the force of gravity or the weight of the car-body resting upon the ccn- 95 ter bearing will tend to return the parts quickly to the position shown in Figf '3.

In the preferred construction the 'centerbearing is provided with a bottom'plate E, upon which it is centrallymaintainfedrbya loo downwardly-extending projection or hub e,`

and at each side of this bottom plate E inverted channel-irons F are secured to constitute the bearings within which the flat faces of the bottom portions c of the links or yokes C are received. The center-bearing also has in its top surface the usual concave G for the reception of the bearing on the cooperating member carried bythe body-bolster, and it is vertically perforated for the passage of the usual king-bolt. In adapting this construction of center-bearing for six-Wheel trucks, wherein a truss is formed by the center-beari n g arch-bar and center-bearin g inverted archbar extending longitudinallyof the trucks, I preferably adopt the construction shown in Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, and by reference to these Iigures it will be seen that the longitudinal trusses formed by the center-bearing arch-bars H are located one on each side of the center-bearing, and connecting; these trusses are two relatively short channel-irons I, securely fastened in place between the archbars and trusses formed thereby by bolts 2'. These transverse channel-irons I have formed upon them or support bearin gs D2, corresponding to the bearings I) and adapted to carry swing links or yokes C2, corresponding to the yoke C.

The specific construction of the center-bearing itself is similar to that hereinbefore described and will not be again described, like letters being applied thereto, as in Figs. 8 to 5.

The iiat faces K of the channel-irons a and I prevent any movement of the yokes or links C C2 longitudinally of their axes, but permit them to swing freely in a transverse direction, and in order to give a greater element of safety and provide against possible accident should one of these yokes become broken the center-bearing itself is in each instance preferably provided with a transverse lug or projection L, which overhangs the channelirons a. and I, in position to catch and support the center-bearing should it drop but a very short distance farther than would be permitted by the links or yokes C C2 themselves if in proper working order. In a car or cars having the center-bearing supported in this manner the tension of the draft-rigging will be sufficient' to maintain the axial lines of the car-bodies in registry at their meeting points in tu-rning on ordinary curves,

as indicated in Fig. 2, where the axial lines are lettered M, thereby overcoming the tendency of the bufling mechanism or vestibules to rub on each other or shear laterally, as would otherwise be the case. Strain upon the vestibules or platform is consequently to a great measure overcome and the life and durability of these parts greatly prolonged.

It is obvious that while I have described the swing links or yokes as having iiattened bearing-surfaces each of them may be provided with two distinct bearing-surfaces somewhat widely separated, or, in other words, the centralportion of the flattened surfaces 'may be cut away, as indicated, for instance, by the dotted lines O in Fig. G, and the same results be secured.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and d esire to secure by Letters Patent, is- A l. The combination with the truck-bolster mounted on swing-hangers whereby it may move transversely, of swing links or yokes j ournaled on said bolster and the center-bearing mounted on said swing-links to move transversely; substantially as described.-

2. The combination with the truck-bolster or center-bearing support, the channel-irons incorporated therein with their an ges turn ed outwardly and the swing links or yokes suspended on and between said channel-irons to swing transversely of the car-body, of the center-bearing mounted directly on the depending portions of said swing links or yokes and coperating with the inner faces of the channel-irons to prevent movement longitudinally of the car; substantially as described.

3. The combination with the truck-bolster or center-bearing support, the swing links or yokes journaled therein and having at their lower portions flattened bearing-surfaces, of the center-bearing resting directly upon said swing links or yokes and having Iiattened bearing-surfaces cooperating with the tlattened bearing-surfaces of the swing links or yokes, whereby the center-bearing is caused to return to its central position substantially as described.

4E. The combination with the truck-bolster orcenter-bearing support and the swing links or yokes journaled therein and having iiat bearing-surfaces on their depending portions, of the center-bearing, the supporting-plate underlying said center-bearing and the recessed bearings on said supporting-plate having flat bearing-surfaces on which the depending portions of the swing links or yokes seat; substantially as described.

5. The combination with the truck-bolster or center-bearing support and the swing links or vyokes journaled therein and having the flattened depending portions, of the centerbearing, the supporting-plate underlying the center-bearing and the invertedA channelirons on said supporting-plate, in which channel-irons the iiattened portions of the swing links or yokes seatj7 substantially as described.

. HENRY II. SESSIONS.

lVitnesses:

L. F. MCGARITY, A. W. TAYLOR.

IIO 

